“I never imagined I’d move from a cart to running a distribution outlet. Nestlé didn’t just give me a job, they gave me a future,” says Joseph Abraham, smiling as he recalls his journey. “
A few years back, Joseph pushed his red NESCAFÉ cart through the busy streets of Lagos, weaving between buses and commuters as the morning sun rose over the city. Every cup of coffee he sold was a small victory, one more step away from the uncertainty of unemployment.
Today, Joseph is no longer a street vendor. He’s a Nestlé distributor, managing his own business, employing others, and sharing the same confidence and ambition that once drove him to start.
In a nation where more than 60 percent of the population is under 25, the future of Nigeria depends on one vital question: how well are we preparing our young people for the opportunities of tomorrow? While many youths still face the harsh reality of unemployment and limited prospects, a quiet revolution is underway. And at the heart of this transformation stands Nestlé Nigeria, rewriting what corporate responsibility means, one skill, one dream, one life at a time.
Joseph’s transformation is not an isolated success story; it’s one of many born from Nestlé Nigeria’s youth empowerment initiatives, designed to build the skills, confidence, and opportunities that shape both lives and communities.
Across factories, streets, and training centres, Nestlé is nurturing a new generation of skilled professionals and entrepreneurs who are redefining what empowerment looks like in Nigeria’s challenging economy.
Brewing Entrepreneurship
For others like Joseph Abraham, empowerment came not from machinery but from motion; from pushing a cart filled with steaming NESCAFÉ and MILO across Nigeria’s streets.
Through the My Own Business (MYOWBU) initiative by Nestlé Professional, thousands of young people are building small but sustainable enterprises that keep the nation awake, literally and figuratively.
The program supports street vendors with fully branded pushcarts, starter kits, and business training in hygiene, customer service, and financial management. But beyond providing equipment, it instills something deeper, which is ownership.
“At the heart of this initiative is a belief in the power of entrepreneurship to transform lives. This workshop is not just about technical skills; it’s about building confidence, nurturing ambition, and strengthening the community of young business leaders who represent our brands with pride and purpose.
“We are excited to host this MYOWBU workshop in Lagos, bringing together hundreds of committed operators and attendants,” said Mrs. Funmi Osineye, Business Manager for Nestlé Professional.
At a recent MYOWBU workshop in Lagos, 300 young operators gathered for training sessions on sustainability and business growth. There, stories of transformation like Joseph’s filled the air as proof that empowerment, when done right, multiplies.
One of them, Adeosun Michael, who is recognized as the longest-serving MYOWBU operator after 20 years, confirmed that “MYOWBU transformed my life, I was able to leave the streets, build a home, and provide for my family. This journey has taught me that consistency and hard work pay off”.
The program has now created over 1,500 jobs across Nigeria, giving hundreds of young people the chance to turn street vending into a stepping stone for greater opportunities.
Sustainability Meets Empowerment
Nestlé’s youth agenda isn’t only about jobs, it’s also about values. During the workshop, Nestlé introduced the Clean with MYOWBU initiative, geared towards mobilizing more than 132 attendants in Lagos to collect and recycle used NESCAFÉ and MILO wrappers, reinforcing Nestlé’s broader commitment to environmental stewardship and circularity across its value chain.
So far, 175 kilograms of post-use packaging waste have been recovered, a small but symbolic step toward circularity and environmental stewardship.
This initiative teaches participants that business and responsibility can go hand in hand. As they earn, they also learn to protect their environment, a dual legacy of empowerment and sustainability.
As the MYOWBU community grows stronger, so does its positive impact. What began with a few young people has evolved into a powerful model for sustainable entrepreneurship and shared value creation.
Building Futures
Nestlé Needs YOUth stands as a beacon of opportunity. The initiative, launched globally in 2013, aims to help 10 million young people worldwide access economic opportunities by 2030.
In Nigeria, this ambition comes to life through the Nestlé Technical Training Centres (NTTC), where young Nigerians receive world-class training in technical and vocational skills.
Since its establishment in 2011, the Agbara Technical Training Centre has invested over ₦6 billion in training youths in food technology, engineering, and manufacturing operations. The 18-month curriculum blends classroom learning with real-world factory experience, culminating in the City and Guilds of London Technicians’ Certification, a qualification that opens doors across industries and borders.
Over 200 young Nigerians have passed through the program at Nestlé’s Agbara, Flowergate, and Abaji factories. And the results speak volumes: 95% of graduates have secured employment, many with Nestlé Nigeria itself.
At the recent graduation ceremony for the 8th cohort in Agbara, 20 trainees proudly received their certificates, ready to take their place in Nigeria’s growing industrial workforce.
Turning Talent into Transformation
Wassim Elhusseini, Managing Director and CEO of Nestlé Nigeria, watched the new graduates receive their certifications with visible pride.
“Each graduation ceremony is a true privilege because it allows us to witness firsthand the life-changing impact of the Nestlé Technical Training Center. Many of our graduates have gone on to build remarkable careers, including one who now serves as a Factory Engineer in Angola, and several others excelling as Engineering and Production Supervisors.” He said.
This year, five exceptional graduates are set to embark on an eight-week internship in Switzerland under Nestlé’s partnership with the Embassy of Switzerland in Nigeria, a rare opportunity to sharpen their skills on the global stage.
There, they will sharpen their technical expertise and gain valuable global exposure. These achievements go far beyond individual success; they uplift families, strengthen communities, and contribute to Nigeria’s industrial growth.
Beyond the classroom, Nestlé’s broader youth agenda through Nestlé Needs YOUth reaches over 25,000 young Nigerians each year, equipping them with employability skills, mentorship, and digital learning opportunities.
ACCOLADES
Community leaders and industry stakeholders have praised Nestlé’s efforts for their long-term impact. Oba Lukman Jayeola Agunbiade, the Alagbara of Agbara, commended the brand’s commitment to empowering the youth in his community:
“It is heartwarming to see a program that gives our youth real skills and opportunities. These young people are proof that training and determination can change lives.”
The Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) also recognized Nestlé’s initiative as a model for private-sector-led skills development. Representing the Director-General, Adenike Aderonke, Director of Social and Labour Affairs, said:
“This program reaffirms that skills are the currency of the future. Nestlé is not just training individuals; it’s building the nation’s workforce.”
A New Generation Brewing Change
For every young person trained, for every pushcart rolled out, for every skill sharpened in a Nestlé training centre, the ripple of impact widens. It’s a ripple that reaches families, strengthens communities, and builds a nation anchored on possibility.
Nestlé Nigeria’s youth empowerment journey is a testament to what happens when corporations move beyond profit to purpose — when brands choose to invest not just in markets, but in people. It’s proof that sustainable change begins with opportunity — and that the most powerful stories of transformation often start with a single chance to believe.
For Joseph Abraham, empowerment began with a cart and a cup of coffee. For thousands of others, it begins with hope, the kind Nestlé continues to brew across Nigeria every day; because when young people are given the right tools, they don’t just change their stories, they change the story of a nation.